Jason & Rebecca set All-time Club records at IEK August Open

Despite family holidays which traditionally affect numbers at the August Opens, nearly 90 entrants provided 27 personal best performances in the 4 track events and half a dozen more PBs in the 2 throws and the 2 jumps. The icing on the cake was two new Invicta club records and one age group record. Highest individual performer was Chris Chancellor (Grade 1 at 400m) and most prolific performer was pentathlete Anna Alvarez who recorded two Grade 2s (Shot and Javelin) then she raced Emily Hunt close in the 300m for u15 girls. 4 of the 5 athletes posting Grade 3 times were from the host club : Mac Cole (u17) and Laura Clark (u15) were both smooth 100m winners - Megan Eeles and Ashford's Sam Beckett (both Grade 3) were only 1 second apart in Megan's debut 400m race - Emily Hosker Thornhill was only 11 seconds short of Grade 2 in a rare outing at 3,000m. The Male A race at 400m was arguably the highest overall standard - Ashford's race winner Gareth Morris (u20) and 3rd placed Alex Tuck (u17) both posted age group Grade 2 times. However, 2nd placed Chris Chancellor posted the highest standard track performance of the evening with an u17 Grade 1 time of 51.4, less than half a second outside his best, set in the heats of the club championships last month. Two 1,000m races provided plenty to enthuse about : first, a fine 3-way tussle among u13 girls Lilly Coward, Anna Weston and Ellen Whitehead, giving a clear glimpse of the strength in depth that is developing among our athletes of tomorrow. Then Alex Newson was a tantalising 1 second short of the u17 record set in 1995 by English Schools' bronze medallist Andy Beckwith. Finally, two long-standing All-time 1,000m records (one male, one female) were demolished by Jason Prickett and Rebecca Weston. First, Jason majestically chopped a full second off the dual u20 and all-time male record set by English schools silver medallist Tim Davis 14 years ago. Then Rebecca, fresh from a family holiday which allowed her to recover from a groin strain, raced ahead of Alistair Noel and into the history books by becoming the first IEK female to break the 3 minute barrier, her time a full 10 seconds faster than the u17 best (Charlotte Dale in 2000) and an incedible 6 seconds faster than Emily Hosker Thornhills' all-time female record set in this same Open 2 years ago. Martin Kelks' dip under 3 minutes at 1,000m is the first by a Male vet-40, eclipsing his own vet best last year by almost 20 seconds. In the Javelin two IEK boys were peppering the 25-30metre mark while in the Pole Vault Luke Williams (Paddock Wood) was best on the day with 3 females all leaping around the 3 metre mark For full results, click underkined text ...[doc:479]